Information processing device
The information processing device addresses high maintenance costs in connected vehicles by automatically blocking communication lines based on vehicle status, reducing fees and costs through state-based line management.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
- Filing Date
- 2024-12-20
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-02
AI Technical Summary
The maintenance costs associated with maintaining communication lines in vehicles equipped with in-vehicle communication devices, such as connected cars, are high when the vehicles are not in use for extended periods, necessitating a solution to manage these costs effectively.
An information processing device that monitors vehicle status and automatically blocks the communication line using RSP when the vehicle enters a predetermined non-use state, such as being transported, in inventory, or unused for a long time, thereby reducing maintenance costs by transitioning the communication line to different blocked states based on the vehicle's status.
Reduces maintenance costs by automatically closing communication lines in vehicles when they are not in use, minimizing usage fees and potential restoration costs, while allowing efficient reactivation when needed.
Smart Images
Figure 2026109986000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information processing apparatus.
Background Art
[0002] Conventionally, techniques related to writing information via a communication line have been known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a communication device equipped with an eSIM (embedded Subscriber Identity Module) capable of writing a profile via a network using RSP (Remote SIM Provisioning).
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0003]
Patent Document 1
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0004] In recent years, the use of vehicles equipped with in-vehicle communication devices (connected cars) has been expanding, and it is possible to remotely control the profile of an eSIM (embedded Subscriber Identity Module) installed in the in-vehicle communication device by RSP (for example, opening and closing a communication line). Typically, by opening a communication line at the timing of vehicle sales or the like, various functions of the vehicle premised on communication become available. By the way, when the communication line is open, maintenance costs such as usage fees borne by the vehicle owner are required. For this reason, for example, when it is expected that the vehicle will not be used for a relatively long period, it is preferable to close the communication line from the perspective of maintenance costs.
[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to improve techniques related to writing information via a communication line.
Means for Solving the Problems
[0006] An information processing device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a communication unit that communicates with a vehicle and a control unit, The control unit, Based on the information received from the vehicle via the communication unit, the status of the vehicle is monitored. When it is determined that the vehicle is in a predetermined state, the communication line of the vehicle is blocked. [Effects of the Invention]
[0007] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the technology for writing information over a communication line is improved. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0008] [Figure 1] This block diagram shows a schematic configuration of a system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a flowchart showing the operation of an information processing device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0009] (Summary of this embodiment) Referring to Figure 1, an overview of a system according to one embodiment of this disclosure will be described. The system comprises an information processing device 10 and a vehicle 20. The information processing device 10 and the vehicle 20 are communicated together via a network 30 including the Internet or a mobile communication network.
[0010] The information processing device 10 includes one server device or multiple computers capable of communicating with each other. The information processing device 10 can use RSP to automatically block the communication lines of the vehicle 20 remotely. RSP is a mechanism for writing or modifying profiles to SIMs, etc., from the network.
[0011] Vehicle 20 includes any vehicle such as an automobile. Vehicle 20 may also include automobiles such as gasoline automobiles, electric vehicles (BEV; Battery Electric Vehicle), hybrid automobiles (HEV; Hybrid Electric Vehicle), plug-in hybrid automobiles (PHEV; Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle), or fuel cell automobiles (FCEV; Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle).
[0012] First, an overview of this embodiment will be described, and details will be described later. The information processing device 10 according to this embodiment includes a communication unit 11 that communicates with the vehicle 20 and a control unit 12. The control unit 12 monitors the status of the vehicle 20 based on information received from the vehicle 20 via the communication unit 11. When the control unit 12 determines that the vehicle 20 is in a predetermined state, it blocks the communication line of the vehicle 20.
[0013] In this embodiment, the information processing device 10 automatically closes the communication line when the vehicle 20 enters a predetermined state. By closing the communication line, the maintenance costs of the communication line can be reduced.
[0014] (Configuration of the information processing device 10) As shown in Figure 1, the information processing device 10 comprises a communication unit 11, a control unit 12, and a storage unit 13.
[0015] The communication unit 11 includes at least one communication interface connected to the network 30. The communication interface supports, for example, a mobile communication standard such as 5G (5th generation), or a wired LAN (Local Area Network) communication standard or a wireless LAN communication standard.
[0016] The control unit 12 includes one or more processors. The processor is, for example, a general-purpose processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), or a dedicated processor specialized for specific processing. While controlling each part of the information processing apparatus 10, the control unit 12 executes processing related to the operation of the information processing apparatus 10.
[0017] The storage unit 13 includes one or more memories. Each memory included in the storage unit 13 may function as, for example, a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. The storage unit 13 stores any information used for the operation of the information processing apparatus 10. For example, the storage unit 13 may store, for example, a system program, an application program, and embedded software. The information stored in the storage unit 13 may be updated based on information acquired from the network 30 via the communication unit 11, for example.
[0018] (Configuration of the vehicle 20) As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle 20 includes a communication unit 21, a control unit 22, a sensor unit 23, and a storage unit 24.
[0019] The communication unit 21 includes at least one communication interface for connecting to the network 30. The communication interface corresponds to, for example, a mobile communication standard such as 4G or 5G, or a wired LAN communication standard or a wireless LAN communication standard, but is not limited thereto and may correspond to any communication standard. In the present embodiment, the communication unit 21 is equipped with an eSIM (embedded Subscriber Identity Module) which is an embedded type SIM (Subscriber Identity Module). The eSIM can automatically perform profile rewriting, for example, opening and closing of a communication line, triggered by detecting a signal from the information processing apparatus 10 via the network 30. Examples of the communication line include an in-vehicle network or an external network.
[0020] The control unit 22 includes one or more processors, one or more programmable circuits, one or more dedicated circuits, or a combination thereof. The processor is, for example, a general-purpose processor such as a CPU or GPU, or a dedicated processor specialized for specific processing, but is not limited thereto. The programmable circuit is, for example, but not limited to, an FPGA. The dedicated circuit is, for example, but not limited to, an ASIC. While controlling each part of the terminal device, the control unit 22 executes processing related to the operation of the terminal device. The control unit 22 may function as part of an ECU (Electronic Control Unit).
[0021] The sensor unit 23 includes one or more sensors that detect the state of the vehicle 20. The sensor unit 23 may include at least any one of a position sensor, an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, a yaw rate sensor, an impact sensor, and an ignition sensor. The position sensor detects the position of the vehicle. The position sensor may include a receiver corresponding to a satellite positioning system such as GPS (Global Positioning System). The ignition sensor detects whether the ignition of the vehicle 20 is on or off. The acceleration sensor detects a motion including the sway and vibration of the vehicle from the acceleration of the vehicle. The gyro sensor detects a motion including the sway and vibration of the vehicle from the angular velocity of the vehicle. The yaw rate sensor detects a motion including the sway and vibration of the vehicle from the yaw rate of the vehicle. The impact sensor detects an impact applied to the vehicle, for example, based on the acceleration of the vehicle.
[0022] The storage unit 24 includes one or more memories. Each memory included in the storage unit 24 may function as, for example, a main memory, an auxiliary memory, or a cache memory. The storage unit 24 stores any information used for the operation of the information processing device 10. For example, the storage unit 24 may store, for example, a system program, an application program, and embedded software. In this embodiment, the storage unit 24 stores configuration information relating to the vehicle 20. The configuration information may include, for example, information relating to the owner-driver settings, and / or information relating to other vehicles 20 (e.g., used cars) having the same or similar specifications as the vehicle 20. The information stored in the storage unit 24 may be updated based on information obtained from the network 30, for example, via the communication unit 21.
[0023] (Operation flow of the information processing device 10) Referring to Figure 2, the operation of the information processing device 10 according to this embodiment will be described.
[0024] S1: The control unit 12 of the information processing device 10 receives information from the vehicle 20 via the communication unit 11. In this embodiment, the control unit 12 monitors the status of the vehicle 20 based on the information received from the vehicle 20 via the communication unit 11. The control unit 12 may also monitor the status of the vehicle 20 based on status information received from the vehicle 20's position sensor, acceleration sensor, or ignition sensor via the communication unit 11, or on setting information of the vehicle 20 received from the vehicle 20's storage unit 24.
[0025] The information may include information from the sensor unit 23 or the storage unit 24 of the vehicle 20. The information from the sensor unit 23 may include information regarding at least one of the vehicle 20's ignition, position, and acceleration. The information from the storage unit 24 may include information regarding the vehicle 20's settings.
[0026] S2: The control unit 12 determines whether the vehicle 20 is in a predetermined state. If it is in the predetermined state (S2-YES), the process proceeds to S3. If it is not in the predetermined state (S2-NO), the process terminates.
[0027] The predetermined state is any state in which the vehicle 20 is expected not to be used by an end user, such as a vehicle owner, for a relatively long period of time. The predetermined state may include at least one of the following: the vehicle 20 is being transported; the vehicle 20 is in stock, held by a dealer or used car dealer; the vehicle 20 is scrapped; and the vehicle 20 is left unused for a long period of time. The determination of whether the vehicle 20 is in the transport state may be performed based on information regarding the vehicle 20's ignition, position, and at least one of the sway and vibration. For example, the control unit 12 may determine that the vehicle 20 is in the transport state (being transported by a transport ship or transport vehicle) if, with the ignition off, it detects sway of the vehicle 20 from the vehicle 20's acceleration information, angular velocity information, or yaw rate information, or detects movement of the vehicle 20 from the vehicle 20's position information. The determination of whether the vehicle 20 is in stock may be performed based on information regarding the vehicle 20's owner-driver settings. For example, if the vehicle 20's configuration information detects that the owner-driver setting is not configured, the control unit 12 may determine that the vehicle 20 is in stock at a dealership. Also, if the vehicle 20's configuration information detects that the owner-driver setting has been deleted, the control unit 12 may determine that the vehicle 20 is in stock at a used car dealership. The determination of whether the vehicle 20 is in a scrapped state may be performed based on information regarding the impact on the vehicle 20. For example, if the vehicle 20's acceleration information, angular velocity information, yaw rate information, or impact information detects an impact due to a collision, i.e., a rapid change in acceleration, angular velocity, or yaw rate, the control unit 12 may determine that the vehicle 20 is in a scrapped state. The determination of whether the vehicle 20 is in a neglected state may be performed based on information regarding the vehicle 20's ignition, position, and at least one of the shaking and vibrations. For example, if the ignition remains off, or if the position, acceleration, angular velocity, or yaw rate of the vehicle 20 remains unchanged for a predetermined period of time (e.g., one month), the control unit 12 may determine that the vehicle 20 is in a stationary state.
[0028] S3: The control unit 12 blocks the communication line of the vehicle 20.
[0029] In this embodiment, the information processing device 10 automatically closes the communication line when the vehicle 20 enters a predetermined state. By closing the communication line, the maintenance costs of the communication line can be reduced. In this embodiment, RSP is used to close the communication line.
[0030] Blocking a communication line may include transitioning the communication line to a first blocked state or a second blocked state. In the first blocked state, the control unit 12 temporarily deactivates the communication line. In the second blocked state, the control unit 12 terminates the communication line. In the first blocked state, the vehicle owner is not required to pay usage fees, while the vehicle manufacturer is required to pay radio wave usage fees and universal service fees. In Japan, radio wave usage fees or universal service fees are, for example, several yen to several tens of yen per month. Also, in the first blocked state, there are no additional costs when restoring the communication line from the first blocked state to the open state. In the second blocked state, the vehicle owner is not required to pay usage fees, and the vehicle manufacturer is also not required to pay radio wave usage fees and universal service fees. On the other hand, in the second blocked state, there are additional costs when restoring the communication line from the second blocked state to the open state. In Japan, these additional costs are, for example, several hundred yen to several thousand yen. Alternatively, blocking a communication line may include transitioning the communication line to one of the following states: first, second, third, fourth, and fifth blocked states. In the third blocked state, the control unit 12 transitions the communication line to an inactive state. In the fourth blocked state, the control unit 12 transitions the communication line to a pending state. In the fifth blocked state, the control unit 12 transitions the communication line to a suspended or stopped state.
[0031] If the communication line transitions to the first blocked state, the control unit 12 may send a request to the vehicle manufacturer for payment of radio wave usage fees and universal service usage fees. If the control unit 12 receives a request from the vehicle owner to reactivate the communication line, it may restore the communication line to the open state. If the communication line transitions to the second blocked state, the control unit 12 may send information to the vehicle owner indicating that the communication line has transitioned to the second blocked state and that additional costs are required to restore the communication line from the second blocked state to the open state. If the control unit 12 receives information from the vehicle owner certifying that payment of the additional costs has been completed, it may restore the communication line to the open state.
[0032] The control unit 12 may decide whether to transition the communication line to a first blocked state or a second blocked state based on a predetermined state. Vehicle transportation is completed in a relatively short period (e.g., about 50 days). Therefore, if it is determined that the vehicle 20 is in a transportation state, the control unit 12 may transition the communication line to the first blocked state. The inventory period for vehicles at dealerships is relatively short (e.g., about 3 months). Therefore, if it is determined that the vehicle 20 is in inventory at a dealership, the control unit 12 may transition the communication line to the first blocked state. The inventory period for vehicles at used car dealerships is relatively long (e.g., several years). Therefore, if it is determined that the vehicle 20 is in inventory at a used car dealership, the control unit 12 may transition the communication line to the first blocked state. Alternatively, if the control unit 12 determines that the vehicle 20 is in inventory at a used vehicle dealer, the control unit 12 may transition the communication line to a first blocked state if the period from the deletion of the owner-driver setting for the vehicle 20 to the present is less than a predetermined threshold, and transition the communication line to a second blocked state if the period is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold. The predetermined threshold may be, for example, the average inventory period of other used vehicles having the same or similar specifications as the vehicle 20. When a vehicle is scrapped, it is expected that the vehicle will not be used for a long period of time or permanently. Therefore, if the control unit 12 determines that the vehicle 20 is in a scrapped state, it may transition the communication line to a second blocked state. If a vehicle is left unused for a long period of time, it may not be used afterward. Therefore, if the control unit 12 determines that the vehicle 20 is in a neglected state, it may transition the communication line to a second blocked state. In summary, the control unit 12 may decide whether to transition the communication line to a first blocked state or a second blocked state based on the expected period of unused vehicle 20 from the state of the vehicle 20. The above criteria for making decisions are merely examples and are not limited to these examples.
[0033] While this disclosure has been described based on the drawings and embodiments, it should be noted that those skilled in the art may make various modifications and alterations based on this disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that these modifications and alterations are within the scope of this disclosure. For example, the functions, etc., included in each component or step, etc., can be rearranged in a logically consistent manner, and multiple components or steps, etc., can be combined into one or divided. For example, in the embodiments described above, an embodiment is also possible in which the configuration and operation of the information processing device 10 are distributed among multiple computers that can communicate with each other. [Explanation of Symbols]
[0034] 1 System, 10 Information Processing Device, 11 Control Unit, 12 Communication Unit, 13 Storage Unit, 20 Vehicle, 21 Control Unit, 22 Communication Unit, 23 Storage Unit, 24 Sensor Unit, 30 Network
Claims
1. An information processing device comprising a communication unit for communicating with a vehicle and a control unit, The control unit, The system monitors the status of the vehicle based on vehicle status information received via the communication unit from at least one of the vehicle's position sensor, acceleration sensor, gyro sensor, yaw rate sensor, impact sensor, and ignition sensor, or vehicle setting information received from the vehicle's storage unit. An information processing device that, upon determining that the vehicle is in a predetermined state, blocks the communication line of the vehicle.
2. An information processing device comprising a communication unit for communicating with a vehicle and a control unit, The control unit, Based on the information received from the vehicle via the communication unit, the status of the vehicle is monitored. An information processing device that, upon determining that the vehicle is in a predetermined state, blocks the communication line of the vehicle.
3. An information processing device according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined state includes at least one of the following: a transport state in which the vehicle is being transported; an inventory state in which the vehicle is held by a dealer or used car dealer; a scrapped state in which the vehicle has been decommissioned; and a neglected state in which the vehicle has been left unattended for a long period of time.
4. An information processing device according to claim 3, wherein the information includes information relating to at least one of the ignition, position, and shaking and vibration of the vehicle, An information processing device that determines whether the vehicle is in the transport state and whether the vehicle is in the abandoned state, based on information relating to at least one of the vehicle's ignition, position, and shaking and vibration.
5. An information processing device according to claim 3, wherein the information includes information relating to the settings of the owner driver of the vehicle, An information processing device that determines whether the vehicle is in the inventory state based on information regarding the owner-driver settings of the vehicle.
6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the information includes information relating to the impact of the vehicle, An information processing device that determines whether or not the vehicle is in the state of being scrapped based on information regarding the impact on the vehicle.